Chapter Text
Since the end of the war, Han and His Lordship had teamed up a number of times to rescue Luke from danger, but this time was by far the worst. Sure, Luke had found himself in hot water by showing his face in certain systems, and yes, he had wandered off too far on his solitary adventures to find some kind of Jedi artifacts, but Han had never seen him this distraught after being rescued.
The kid’s face was not only flushed a deep crimson, and his voice hoarse from what Han assumed to be screaming, but his blue eyes were stuck in a thousand-yard stare from the second Vader and Han found him chained to the cell wall with hardly any clothing covering his petite body. Even after the two released him (after “taking care” of the aggressors, as Vader put it) and brought him back to the Falcon, Luke still trembled like a leaf in the wind and seemed to keep looking around for others who wanted to attack him. Han didn’t know what the hell happened to Luke this time, but based on all this, he knew it couldn’t be good.
Han and Vader led Luke up to the ship and got him situated with a blanket while Chewie began their departure. Han couldn’t help but notice Luke couldn’t seem to sit correctly, and when Han pointed this out, the kid flushed an even deeper red and seemed to begin fighting tears.
“I’m fine,” Luke tried to assure lamely.
“Clearly you are not,” Vader snapped, Han recognizing his anger as fatherly protection. “When we land, you will be seen by a medic.”
At this, Luke’s eyes grew bigger than Han had ever seen them. He shook his head immediately.
“No,” he said. “I…I said I’m fine.”
“Then you will have no problem with a medical professional confirming so,” Vader said, his tone leaving no room for argument. However, Luke continued to shake his head as his eyes misted with tears.
“I don’t need to see a medic,” he argued once again, his voice growing husky with tears.
“You must and you will!”
“No!”
Both Han and Vader found themselves almost physically flinching from the sheer desperation and fury in Luke’s voice. The kid’s anger was a tough beast to rouse, and to see it make an appearance over something seemingly so insignificant was shocking to say the least.
Wait.
Found with almost no clothing, couldn’t sit properly, and now refusing to see a medic?
Han had a terrible inkling, and for once in his life, truly hoped he was wrong.
“Hey, Pops, how ‘bout you give me a sec to talk to junior here?” Han said.
“Why?” Vader snapped.
“Just a moment, Father?” the kid asked. After Luke spoke up, Vader finally agreed to give the pair exactly two minutes alone; Han couldn’t help but feel like Vader may be starting to understand by giving Han and Luke space to (hopefully) disprove their worst fears.
“So,” Han began as he took a seat next to his friend after Vader cleared the room. “You wanna tell me why you don’t wanna see a medic?” Luke kept his head down as he seemed to be fighting tears again, now with an intensity Han hadn’t seen him fight with since the war.
“It’s not that bad is all,” the kid tried to brush off.
“What isn’t that bad?” Han prodded.
“The injuries.”
“But if you have any injuries, kid, you’ve gotta get seen,” Han tried to convince. Luke shook his head harder, his throat seeming to tighten.
“I’ll be fine.”
“You will be, but you’re not right now.” A silence grew between the pair. “You want me to take a look at you first?”
“No!” Luke said quickly. He sighed, realizing he spoke too reflexively to be innocent- something was terribly wrong.
“Luke,” Han said warningly. “Why won’t you let me look?” At this point, tears were crawling down Luke’s cheeks and he was holding back sobs, but one finally slipped through his lips. The sound of Luke’s gasping sob must have cut Vader’s timer short, for he immediately came around the corner in a swirl of black fabric.
“What is wrong?” he asked, but Luke just began crying harder and leaned into Han. Although momentarily stunned, Han wrapped his arm around the kid and pulled him in tight.
“Hey,” Han finally cooed. “Hey. What is it?” Luke sniffled again, clearly trying to hold back the breakdown that begged to ensue, but lost the battle and unraveled into gasps and sobs.
After a few agonizing moments of Luke crying, Vader knelt in front of the kid and set a hand on his knee, but Luke flinched away violently. Han locked eyes with Vader, and although his face was still hidden by the mask, Han knew an expression of terror must have crossed his features as well.
“Luke?” Han asked warningly. “What’s goin’ on?”
“What happened, child?” Vader asked in the most gentle voice Han had ever heard filter through his vocoder. Based on his response, it seemed Vader shared that same terrible fear with Han. Luke leaned his head into Han’s shoulder, tried to catch his breath, then choked out: “something terrible.”
Vader and Han met gazes again, then in what felt like a silent agreement, Han prodded further.
“Luke,” Han said again, trying to keep his voice calm even though a whirlwind of worry swirled beneath. He gulped as he forced himself to articulate his worst fear. “Did they rape you?”
A terrible sob escaped Luke’s throat, then he bowed his head…and nodded.
After Han had to force himself to close his mouth after he realized he was gaping, he quickly pulled the kid in tighter. After what felt like an eternity of Luke just short of wailing, Han finally spoke up.
“I know you don’t wanna hear this, kid, but we’ve gotta take a look.”
“No,” Luke sobbed. “Please.” At this, Vader and Han exchanged another look, but Han nodded at Vader in agreement to let him take the lead.
“Son,” Vader began carefully. “If you are injured, Solo and I must know, as must the medic.” Luke shook his head.
“No,” he said more clearly. “I can’t.”
“Why not?” Han asked as gently as he could. Luke stifled another gasp.
“I just…” Luke’s blue eyes watered with tears once again.
“Just what, kid?” Luke’s expression crumpled and he leaned into his friend harder.
“I don’t want them to blame me,” he admitted in a small voice.
Han and Vader once again met gazes, and Han was certain an expression of horror and confusion crossed Vader’s features as well.
“Why would you even think that, Luke?” The kid gasped terribly once again, but managed an explanation.
“It was my fault,” he explained. “ I got myself out there, I got myself into trouble, I got myself attacked.” The kid sighed heavily. “It’s all my fault.”
“No, no,” Han said a little more firmly than intended. “This wasn’t on you, Luke. You know that.”
“But I-”
“Am not at fault for this attack,” Vader cut in. “You must understand that.”
After a prolonged period of silence, Luke finally nodded half-heartedly, then rested his head on Han’s shoulder.
“What happens now?” he asked hopelessly.
“I’m gonna take a real quick look at ya, see what we’re workin’ with, then we’ll have a medic check you out when we land. You think you can do that?” Although it took him a while to respond, Luke finally answered.
“Will this hurt?” he asked.
“Not one bit,” Han promised. “Just need to see what we’re looking at.”
After Luke gave his consent, Han guided him and Vader back to his personal quarters. Han was no medic, but he knew he could attend to minor injuries for the time being; holding the title of war general definitely gave one that ability.
Once Luke was settled on the bed, Han helped him carefully pull his shirt off over his head, revealing an array of barely-scabbed cuts, fresh bruises, and occasional scratches on Luke’s skin. Han surveyed him carefully, making sure nothing needed immediate attention as he shoved aside his fury at the attackers, but noticed a small bit of blood blossoming underneath the kid’s pants.
“Can I have you lay back, kid?” Han asked. “Gotta take a quick look down there.” Although reluctant to say the least, Luke finally agreed and laid back on the bed. Vader knelt by Luke’s head beside the bed and stroked his hair back in an attempt to comfort him, keeping their blue eyes locked.
“Deep breaths, child,” Vader tried to encourage. Luke nodded as he obeyed, blowing out a deep breath.
With the kid’s permission, Han carefully tugged down his undergarments and took a look. There wasn’t as much blood as Han expected, but there was obvious trauma. Han cringed as he saw more bruises and scratches he couldn’t see before.
“Doin’ great,” Han praised. “They got you pretty good, but nothing the docs can’t handle.” Luke nodded, but Han noticed tears leaking down the sides of his face. “Talk to me, kid. What’s wrong?”
“Are you in pain?” Vader asked. Luke shook his head in the negative as Han covered up his exposed lower half with a blanket.
“I…I can’t go to the medic,” he finally managed through a tight throat. Han took a seat on the side of the bed, setting a hand out to rest atop his friend’s bionic hand.
“You are worried they will make false judgments about you?” Vader asked. Although slowly, Luke confirmed this in a nod. Vader stroked the kid’s hair back once again and encouraged him to take another deep breath as Luke closed his eyes, clearly fighting another breakdown.
“Child, I believe I may know of a way to help you,” Vader said. Luke opened his eyes and looked up at him.
“What is it?”
“Would you be willing to be seen by my personal physician?” Vader asked. “Her name is Doctor Sheil. She is an excellent practitioner and provides exceptional care, and I would ensure you would receive just that.”
“Sounds like a solid deal,” Han commented. “You trust her, Pops?”
“More than any medical professional I have ever encountered,” he said steadfastly. “Luke, would you be open to this?”
Luke looked to his father, then to Han, then back to his father.
“You’re sure she wouldn’t say anything?”
“Not one word,” Vader confirmed. “She is very compassionate and understanding, and will not make any judgments.”
Although he looked a little more at ease than before, Luke still didn’t seem convinced.
“What if I went with ya, kid?” Han finally asked after he allowed Luke to consider the offer just a little longer.
“Really?” he asked. “You would do that?”
“‘Course,” Han confirmed. “Anything. I owe you one, don’t I?” A ghost of a smile made an appearance on Luke’s lips, and Han considered that a win.
“Do you think she’d allow that, Father?” Luke asked Vader.
“She will adhere to any request I make without question,” Vader answered. “I believe Solo’s presence will greatly ease any anxieties you may have.” Han was stunned- was he actually just complimented by His Lordship himself? However, Han didn’t have time to contemplate. Luke leaned into his father as he sighed.
“If I do this, can you both promise me something?” Luke asked.
“‘course, kid,” Han said.
“Anything,” Vader answered immediately. Luke took a deep breath, then looked back and forth between his father and best friend.
“Keep this between us.”
Both Han and Vader both agreed immediately.
“Nothin’ leaves this ship,” Han promised.
“On that we are agreed,” Vader said.
After a brief moment of silence, the weight of the promise settling around the three, Vader declared he would comm the doctor and left Luke with Han. Thankful for a moment alone with the kid, Han guided Luke to stand and helped him change into a spare set of Han’s clothes. Luke looked up at Han, shame practically emitting from the spot in which he stood, and Han couldn’t help but instinctually pull Luke into his chest.
“You’re gonna be just fine, kid,” Han said. “I promise.”